Center for Climate Change, Energy and Environmental Law (CCEEL)

Research

We conduct high-quality, policy-relevant research supported by funding from the European Research Council, the Finnish Strategic Research Council, the Research Council of Finland, and the Finnish Ministry of the Environment. Currently, we have four active research groups dedicated to advancing our understanding of critical issues in our field.

Global Climate Change Law

Climate change law has developed into a specialized field of legal research and practice, addressing the urgent global challenge of climate change. Our members possess extensive academic and practical expertise, focusing on key areas such as the UN climate regime (particularly the 2015 Paris Agreement), EU climate law, climate policy legitimacy, climate justice, human rights and litigation, the impact of short-lived climate pollutants, the intersection of climate and trade law, the role of non-state actors in governance, and theoretical frameworks in climate law.

Learn more about our research group here.

Energy law

Energy law is a specialised field that focuses on the legal governance of the energy sector. We conduct international research to develop legal and policy frameworks that support the global transition to sustainable energy. Our main areas of focus include European and international energy law and policy, governance of the energy transition, constitutional and institutional frameworks in the energy sector, legal and regulatory issues in natural gas markets, international petroleum law and policy, comparative energy law, and renewable energy law.

Learn more about our research group here.

Sustainability law

The pressing environmental challenges of today call for a deeper understanding of how law and legal systems can support a just and sustainable transformation. Our research focuses on how legal frameworks can help achieve ambitious sustainability goals while upholding core legal values. We target three key sustainability objectives: combating climate change, preserving biodiversity, and achieving zero pollution. Our work covers a wide range of topics, including theoretical, methodological, and constitutional questions crucial to driving a fair and effective sustainability transition.

Learn more about our research group here.

Law in Water and Environmental Governance

Learn more about our Research Projects here

Education

CCEEL provides teaching for undergraduate degrees in law and operates two international master’s programs focused on climate change, energy, and environmental law. It also contributes to the executive programme in Climate Expertise and is member of the Climate University. In addition to these programs, CCEEL is involved in doctoral training, fostering the next generation of scholars and professionals in these crucial fields.

Master’s Degree Programme in Environmental Policy and Law

The Nordic Master in Environmental Law (NOMPEL)

Specialisation Programme in Climate Expertise – University of Helsinki and University of Eastern Finland

The Specialisation programme in climate expertise brings together leading climate experts, companies and the public sector. After the programme, students will have a strong scientific know-how in climate related issues with readiness to lead and design climate actions in practice.

The programme consists of mandatory and elective courses in climate science, climate legislation and policy, as well as climate action from mitigation to adaptation.

The language of instruction and completion is Finnish. Learn more.